@Rick: now that I see the way Model-S mounts its batteries, I have to wonder how the idea of a battery switch station would work in this case? Could this have been one of the points of contention between Tesla and the now defunct Better Place?

It is always so frustrating to hear people saying that electric will never displace petrolium fuelled vehicles. The latest batch is just a taste of what is to come. Safer, faster, more stable, and quieter.